Shaina Bags

Shaina Bags is situated at 50/4, right across from the old Khatau Mill in Byculla. We are in the Soundarya Paramount building on 5th Cross. It is a bit of a maze getting here if you aren't familiar with the side streets of Byculla. The area has changed a lot, but we are still here doing the same things we’ve always done. Inside, it’s mostly just us and the bags. We have piles of zippers, buttons, and fabric swatches everywhere. It looks messy to an outsider, but we know exactly where the black nylon or the heavy-duty canvas is hidden. We don't spend money on fancy furniture. Our chairs are old and the desks are scratched up from years of use. It’s a working space, not a showroom. We wake up early to beat the worst of the heat, though by mid-afternoon, it still gets pretty warm in here. We drink a lot of water and keep the fans going at full speed. There isn't any corporate talk here. We talk about the local news or what we are having for dinner. Sometimes we have disagreements about how a certain strap should be attached, but we figure it out eventually. It is just a small group of us trying to make a living. We don't have a grand vision, just a commitment to finishing what we started today. It keeps our hands busy and our minds focused on the task.